


And So Were They

by bri_notthecheese



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Sexual Content, though most of this is Super Sugary Fluff™
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-22 01:20:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13156152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bri_notthecheese/pseuds/bri_notthecheese
Summary: "Sure, they had their arguments—what couple didn’t? They both had tempers, but had simply learned to coexist with them. Perhaps they lengthened the cords of their short fuses as well. Nadine was stubborn; Rafe threw tantrums; Nadine’s brutal honesty could be cutting; Rafe’s pride inhibited him from apologizing immediately…And she had fallen in love with him, faults and all.As she knew he loved her for all of hers."





	And So Were They

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gineru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gineru/gifts).



> It's entirely my best friend Ginel's fault for dragging me down into this ship and now I'm in hell. I love them both so much <3 This was a Christmas gift for her but I figured since this ship has so little content, I'd share it here as well! ^_^ Enjoy!

“Welcome back, Ms. Ross.”

Nadine handed the butler her coat once he finished closing the main door. “Thank you, Jeremy. I trust you’re well?”

“I am indeed, ma’am.” Jeremy hung her coat in the closet near the entrance.

“Good to hear it. Your family enjoying the holidays?”

“Yes. I’m looking forward to spending the next few days with them.”

“Oh?” Nadine asked, passing her suitcase over. “You took off?”

Jeremy shook his head. “Mr. Adler gave us all the next week off, starting this evening. I am pleased to have seen you arrive before I went home, though. It’s been awhile.”

“It certainly has.” Nadine was surprised at the new information. Rafe had a smaller-sized staff working for him at his estate and she couldn’t remember the last time he gave them set vacation time. Nonetheless, she was happy for them, and even happier still that it meant it would only be her and her boyfriend for the next few days.

Even after three years of dating, the term ‘boyfriend’ still didn’t seem to fit Rafe, nor did ‘girlfriend’ when it regarded her. Still, she couldn’t find a better word, so boyfriend it was. Speaking of, she set off to find him in the direction of the study, which was where he was last seen. Jeremy would bring her bags to the master bedroom. It had taken some time getting used to having servants around performing menial tasks for her, but Rafe had pointed out that it was similar in regards to her men working under her. It was their job.

She admired the decorations adorning the halls. She’d always loved Christmas decorations. Back in South Africa, the holidays occurred during the summer so growing up, she had associated it with warm weather and bright, beautiful flowers in bloom. Christmas in New York was a different story entirely. She admitted that it was odd not returning home this year to visit her family for the holidays, but after finishing a long job, she had really missed Rafe. Perhaps next year she’ll drag him to her celebrations.

He wasn’t in the study, and by the looks of the very neat pile of papers on the desk, she figured he’d finished for the day. She headed over to the second likeliest place he’d be at this time and sure enough, the door to the room was slightly ajar. She gently pushed it open and the sight that greeted her warmed her heart.

Rafe was on the floor with his rabbit Avery. The rabbit’s room always had a new feature added to it each time Nadine visited. It was absolutely precious how much Rafe loved rabbits, his in particular. Nadine bet his was one of the most pampered pets on the planet.

He continued stroking Avery for a few more moments, a smile on his face, before he noticed her presence. His smile grew even wider when their eyes met.

“Nadine,” he spoke, almost breathlessly. He rose from the floor, taking care not to step on Avery, and made his way over. He pulled her into a kiss and Nadine relished the way her body simply melted.

“Missed you,” she stated, her hands rubbing his upper arms. “Missed that little guy too. Think he remembers me?”

“Let’s find out.” Rafe led them over to Avery, his hand still on her waist. They knelt down near the rabbit. Nadine held out her hand carefully, so as not to scare him. Avery sensed the movement and sniffed.

Nadine watched him, her stomach fluttering. She loved bunnies so much. Well, she loved all animals, but rabbits were high on the list. Though she knew she’d never love them quite as much as Rafe did. Avery cautiously hopped forward until his nose nuzzled her palm. A grin broke out across her face.

“I think it’s safe to say he does,” Rafe said, his hand squeezing her waist. “And by the way,” Rafe leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I missed you too.”

~x~

It’s two days until Christmas Eve, and much to Nadine’s delight, Rafe already had a list of things he planned for them. After a much-needed 10-hour sleep to recover from the flight, plus the sleep she needed to catch up on after her job, Nadine descended downstairs to the kitchen to find Rafe hard at work cooking breakfast.

“Good morning,” Nadine yawned as she sat on the high chair next to the countertop.

“Morning.” Rafe glanced at her before returning to the food. “How’d you sleep?”

“Too long,” Nadine yawned again. “I’m feeling a bit lethargic.”

“Oh but I’m sure you needed it.”

“Ja…When did you get up?”

“An hour ago. Asshole called looking for a file that was already in his desk drawer. I sometimes wonder if there is one other competent person in that place. ” He sighed. “I’m just glad the call didn’t wake you.”

“Huh. Ja, normally I’m a light sleeper.”

“I know,” Rafe chuckled. “Why I said you needed the sleep.” He paused for a moment, weighing his options. “You know, you snore when you’re exhausted.”

Nadine looked up at him, eyes narrowing. “I do not.”

Rafe laughed again. “You do. It was like sleeping next to a bear.”

“Now you’re messing with me.”

“I'm serious. But at least it was a cute bear.”

Nadine glared at him, but retaliating now seemed like so much effort, so she settled for a threat. “You better watch your back Adler. Just you wait until I wake up.”

“I’m terrified,” he deadpanned.

Nadine watched him as he shuffled around the kitchen, cutting up fresh strawberries and cleaning two handfuls of blueberries to adorn the tops of the French toast he whipped up. Nadine’s stomach grumbled. She had always considered herself a good cook, but Rafe’s cooking was something else. The first time she visited him in his home, she had foolishly assumed the large kitchen was for a chef that Rafe would call in, but was quickly proven wrong when Rafe had cooked dinner that night for the two of them. She suspected he loved when company came over so it could give him an excuse to cook for someone other than himself, minus the meals he’d cook for the staff on occasion.

Soon, the two of them dug in. In addition to his French toast and fruit, Rafe had a large helping of whipped cream sprayed on top of his. Nadine appreciated the lack of it on her plate. They ate in comfortable silence, content that they were together after so long.

Once Nadine finished, Rafe snatched her plate before she could move and walked over to go rinse it off.

“Hey—”

“No, no, no. First day as a guest here, you don’t do any chores. You know the rules.” He glanced at her, a playful glint in his eye.

Nadine smirked and made her way around the counter to where he was loading it into the dishwasher. “I do, but I was under the impression that I might be a bit more than a guest at this point, eh?” Her fingers crawled up his chest.

“True,” Rafe not so subtly leaned into her, effectively caging her against the counter with his arms. “But is it so wrong to want to spoil you sometimes?”

Nadine tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. She knew he loved exercising his height over her. Not that she was complaining in the slightest. Her fingers, previously splayed across his chest, now moved upwards to the back of his neck. “I suppose not.” She dragged him down for a short, yet meaningful kiss. “Thanks. So what’s the plan?”

“Well, since you need a lot of time to recover from the flight—” a light laugh and smack from Nadine— “I thought we could do stuff around here today and hit the slopes tomorrow. Then I have dinner reservations Christmas Eve.”

“Perfect. I left that one dress here, ja?”

“I believe you left three.”

“Right.” Nadine glanced out the windows, squinting slightly as the snow outside amplified the sunlight. “How ‘bout we go outside and make a snowman?”

“You wan—? I haven’t done that since I was a kid.”

“So?”

Rafe considered her point for a moment, his lip pouting as he thought. Nadine thought it was adorable, not that she’d ever let him know. He shrugged. “Okay. Let’s go.”

The snow was deeper than she expected. After leaping off the terrace, she sunk about a foot into it. But it was wet snow, perfect for packing. They quickly got a ball rolling, collecting enough snow until it was large enough for the base. Then they made the chest and set it on top together. Once the head was complete, Rafe allowed her to do the honors, but as Nadine lifted it to place it on top, she got another idea.

She dropped it right on top of Rafe’s head, sending the cold powder everywhere.

He froze in shock.

Nadine backed up a few feet, a large grin on her face. He slowly turned his head to face her, revenge flickering in his eyes. She’d like to see him try.

“You know, Nadine,” Rafe started, wiping bits of snow off of his face. “What you just did amounts to treason.” He took a few steps towards her. “And I don’t like being betrayed.”

Nadine giggled. “What’s done is done. What are you going to do about it?”

She watched as he calculated the best approach to take her down…but she was already steps ahead of him. All she had to do was wait for him to move.

“You won’t like what happens when I catch you.”

“If you catch me.”

Rafe bolted forward, but Nadine had already positioned herself so any movement would cause her momentum to go backwards. She took off away from Rafe, hiking up her legs as she ran to avoid resistance from the snow. She ran a few yards before she felt a hand grab her foot and she went down.

_Shit._ _He must have lunged for my feet!_ As soon as she landed flat in the snow, she immediately propelled her body forward to get away from the hand that was clutching her snow boot. _Too late!_ Another hand latched on to her leg and by now, she’s squirming to get free without kicking her assailant.

His weight fell on top of her legs and she knew he won, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight. Until his hands reached her sides. A few squeezes and suddenly she’s a mess of laughter, fighting not only to get away but from the onslaught of tickling.

Rafe’s laughing—truly laughing, not his bitchy businessman laugh, and it’s a sound she’s missed over the past six weeks. He maneuvered his way through the snow up to her and she rolled over to face him. They let the remaining giggles flow out before just looking at one another. Nadine reached a hand up to caress his cheek.

“I love you.”

Rafe smirked. “Nice try.” And smashed a giant handful of snow into her face.

But she was ready. Two seconds later, he also had another face-full of snow. They descended into laughs and flinging snow at one another, wrestling to gain the upper hand.

Rafe ran out of strength first. Nadine straddled him and pinned his arms.

“You had enough?”

Rafe took a few breaths, his face flushed. “For now.” He winked at her. “I love you, too.”

It’s been a couple of years since they first spoke those words to one another, but in moments like this, Nadine still felt giddy every time she heard them from him. She was sure he felt it too. Leaning down, she pressed their lips together, wet from melted snow. “We should get inside. Get warm.”

“Wanna join me in the shower?”

“You did just shove snow in my face.”

“Lovingly.”

Nadine threw him a skeptical glance, but she had no doubt she’d be joining him in the next few minutes.

~x~

Warm mug in hand, Nadine breathed a sigh of contentment as she sipped the hot chocolate. Rafe entered the kitchen, dressed in cotton pajama pants and a T-shirt. She wore one of his other pairs and a long sleeve shirt of her own. He moved to pre-heat the oven and she slid up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Leaning against him, she kissed his shoulder blade.

“Don’t tell me you’re worn out already.” A smile played at his lips.

“You’re ridiculous.” She swirled around to his front. “You wish.”

“Do I now?”

“Your ego does.”

Rafe scoffed, but didn’t reply with an answer. He began humming as he pulled out various bowls, spoons, measuring cups, and the mixer. Nadine followed his lead and pulled out the butter and eggs from the fridge. Baking always required those, though she had no idea what specific items Rafe wanted to bake.

Nadine had never been one for baking. But any opinion she had of it was thrown out as her and Rafe did it together. She questioned the sheer amount of food they were making since it was just the two of them, but was quickly reassured when he told her most of it was going to a children’s choir he liked to see on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. So they baked brownies, fudge, and a healthy variety of cookies throughout the afternoon, taking short intermissions if Nadine decided she wanted a quick peck or if Rafe suddenly took her in his arms to dance her around for a moment.

They ordered dinner in—a veggie pizza for Nadine and a plain cheese for Rafe. After all this time, Nadine was still highly amused that he was a man that needed exquisite flavor when it came to literally any other food dish he consumed, but when it came to pizza, he wouldn’t touch anything else. It was very cute.

The last few hours before bed were spent playing with Avery while catching up some more. Snuggling up to him that night, Nadine couldn’t be more thankful for meeting him.

~x~

“Ready?”

“More ready than you are.”

Nadine breathed a laugh. “Don’t worry. I’ll snap this boot on in five seconds and catch up to you in the next two.”

“Seven seconds seems like an unfair advantage to me. I can always wait.” Rafe teased.

“Ja, keep talking. You might get snow in your face again.”

“Only if you crash into me at the end.”

The ski lift deposited them and Rafe rode off on his skis. Nadine, as promised, swiftly fastened her boot to her snowboard and took off after him. Both were excellent at their sport, and though they planned to ride the more difficult slopes later, this was simply a warm-up. They weaved in and out of one another, perfectly in sync.

Nadine had missed this. The rush of cool air in her face, the adrenaline high of speeding down a mountain with nothing but a board underneath you, the working muscles savoring this exercise. Most importantly, she had missed doing this with Rafe. He had taken her here on their second date, and while she had felt a spark during their first one to the theatre, it was that second time that she truly had the feeling that this could be something that’d work in the long run. And obviously, her instinct hadn’t been wrong.

The air chilled her gums but she couldn’t stop smiling. She glanced over to find Rafe wearing a similar expression. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Most of the world viewed him as a spoiled brat whose name was his family’s fortune. Nadine hated to admit that she was once one of those people, too. But she had a rule of not allowing her own half-formed opinions of someone tarnish their first impression. When they first became acquainted, he did (and still does) carry an air of entitlement with him, but the more they spoke, she sensed there was far more to the picture than meets the eye.

Sure, they had their arguments—what couple didn’t? They both had tempers, but had simply learned to coexist with them. Perhaps they lengthened the cords of their short fuses as well. Nadine was stubborn; Rafe threw tantrums; Nadine’s brutal honesty could be cutting; Rafe’s pride inhibited him from apologizing immediately…

And she had fallen in love with him, faults and all.

As she knew he loved her for all of hers.

They easily reached the bottom of the hill. As she straightened up and turned to face him, he was already there, leaning in to plant a kiss on her cheek. “I won,” he grinned. “Round two?”

Nadine kept her face neutral. “Ja. Let’s go.”

Confusion clouded his face for a moment, certain he’d get a reaction for his statement that was _absolutely not true_. The moment passed and he chuckled, finding her passiveness adorable. He began walking in the direction of the ski lift for the taller hills. He only made it a few feet when Nadine’s foot casually knocked his leg off-balance, causing him to trip and fall into the snow with a _“Hey!”_ There wasn’t anyone immediately coming down—she had checked, of course, and once she was certain everything but Rafe’s pride was uninjured, she ran ahead to the lifts. She wasn’t going to get distracted anymore by reminiscent or romantic thoughts. This was serious.

~x~

It had been a long day.

Currently, Nadine nestled beside Rafe on the absurdly large, yet extremely comfortable couch. A warm blanket was draped on top of them and some generic Christmas movie played in the background. The fireplace was lit. Cups of green tea resided on the side table. Nadine’s eyes were beginning to droop. It _had_ been an exhausting six weeks and the warmth around her felt so inviting…

Her stomach was also pleasantly full. When they had returned that evening, Rafe had asked if she’d like to help him make dinner. He taught her a family recipe that he used to cook with his mother—cream of mushroom chicken. He mostly worked on that while she prepared the roasted asparagus, but it was a peaceful and domestic moment that Nadine found she didn’t completely dislike.

She lazily placed a kiss on his neck before absentmindedly scratching at his stubble. He hummed, face turning in towards her, giving her the go-ahead to keep scratching. She curled into him further, hooking one leg over his legs and part of his hip. She considered taking things further for a second, but her eyes drooping again answered that for her.

“I think someone’s sleepy,” Rafe teased.

“You?” Nadine’s eyes were closed.

He chuckled. “Well sure, but I think we both know who will fall asleep first.”

She forced her eyes open. “Ja. You.”

He tightened his arm, bringing her as close as possible. “Okay. You’re right.” And then, almost as an afterthought—though despite her tired state, Nadine knew Rafe well enough to know that this had been something he had been thinking about for a while—his eyes widened and a surprised look crossed his face. “You know what I forgot?”

Nadine decided to amuse him. “What?”

Rafe reached down, presumably underneath the couch, and pulled out a sprig of mistletoe. “I forgot to hang this somewhere.”

“I don’t think you did.”

Mischief twinkled in his eyes. “You don’t?”

“I think you wanted to trap me here.” Nadine patted his stomach.

“Trap you? Well, you do know the tradition to set you free.”

“I don't think I can survive kissing you.”

He clicked his tongue. “Then we have a problem.”

“I suppose we do.”

“We wouldn’t want you to die, but we also can’t be stuck like this forever. We need options.”

Nadine stared up at him, amusement written on her features. _He’s so cute when he plays along._ She rubbed his stomach as he prattled on about the need for a solution. “You’re adorable.”

He frowned. “No.”

“Ja. Like a kitty.”

His frown deepened, which made it even cuter from her point of view. “It’s not adorable. I’m trying to think of ways to save your life.”

“Might be worth the risk.” Nadine pushed upwards to meet his lips. “Guess I’m okay.”

“And I’m a lucky boy.”

Nadine shot him a look at the odd phrase, but opted for getting comfortable once more.

It was around two in the morning when she woke again. The TV had been turned off and the fireplace seemed to have been turned down to a lower setting. She must have fallen asleep before him.

Though he was certainly asleep now. Nadine contemplated her options. Carry him, or try waking him and dragging him to bed. She wasn’t sleeping here all night.

She settled for a combination of the two and prodded him half-awake. She managed to get him to a sitting position and wrapped her arm around his waist and hoisted him to a standing position. He mumbled something about being cold and she quietly reassured him they’d be warm again soon. Luckily, they had fallen asleep in the living room upstairs so they made their way down the hall relatively easily, and much more safely than if they had been downstairs.

They crawled under the covers in Rafe’s bed. Nadine settled into the pillow but before she fell asleep once more, Rafe snuggled into her from behind. She smiled softly. Even if she wanted to kick him away, he’d make his way back to her sooner or later. Sooner, more likely. It was nice to be sought after even when the other person was asleep. She adjusted herself properly so she could sleep with him being there, and then allowed herself to drift off again.

~x~

Nadine capped the top to her lip-gloss. Not something she normally applied, almost ever, but tonight was special and getting dolled up didn’t hurt. It was Christmas Eve already; the past few days had flown by. She was staying through New Year’s, and he was accompanying her on her trip to Germany the week after, but she still wished time would move a bit slower. She gave herself a once over in the full-length mirror. The mid-length black dress she had left at Rafe’s sported a high collar but left her arms exposed. Good.

After throwing on a pair of heels, she exited the bathroom and joined him in the main hall. He was dressed to the nines, wearing that white dinner jacket she loved on him. As per usual when she dressed up, his face froze for a few seconds while his brain processed what he was seeing. Nadine was never one for people ogling her, but she took pleasure in it when that person was Rafe.

“I take it I look nice?” She offered her arms out since Rafe was waiting to help her with her coat.

“Nadine, dear,” Rafe’s hands rested on her shoulders, coat on. “You are breathtaking.” His hands slid down her arms and slipped over to hold her waist. “And also mine.”

“Is that right?”

“I would hope so.” He planted a kiss on her neck before moving to her side and offering his arm.

They took one of his cars to the restaurant. Nadine almost offered to drive this time, as Rafe seemed slightly twitchy, though when asked he assured her he was fine. They arrived at a steakhouse that Nadine had only frequented with him a few times before, but she remembered the food was good.

“Reservation?”

Nadine glanced towards Rafe, but he seemed to be off in space somewhere. “Adler, for two.”

The hostess looked down and once confirming that their table was ready, she ushered them to follow her. Nadine jolted Rafe from whatever fantasy he was in and brought him along. They were seated and Nadine gratefully took a sip from the water at the table.

She looked across the table. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Rafe glanced up from the menu, surprised. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You don’t normally look at the menu, and you’ve been jumpy all night. Tell me what’s going on.”

Rafe sighed. With a guilty look, he closed the menu. “It’s really nothing. It’s just some… business that I’m going to have to attend to. That’s all.”

“What sort of business?”

“Nadine, please. It’s really nothing. I’d rather not talk work during dinner.”

That was true, Nadine knew. Rafe hated mixing work with virtually anything else when he wasn’t working. They were alike in that regard. It’s one of the qualities that first drew her to him. But still, something about this sat oddly in her stomach, but she knew Rafe would tell her in time, so for now she let it go.

When it came time to order, Rafe ordered the steak & lobster, as per usual, and Nadine decided on the flank steak—medium-rare of course. Rafe also made to order a bottle of wine, but kept tripping over his words until Nadine came to the rescue.

Once the waiter left, Rafe glanced over to her before averting his eyes. “Sorry.”

“Hey,” Nadine reached across the table and cupped his chin in her hands, forcing him to look at her. “Is there anything I can do?”

Rafe chuckled, bringing a small smile back to his face. “No, it’s okay. This is just something I have to do myself. But I promise I’ll tell you when I can.” Nadine began to remove her hand, but he took it softly before bringing it to his lips and kissing it. “Thank you.”

The next few minutes passed by pleasantly. Besides some small fidgeting, Rafe seemed to feel better after their small chat. That was until his phone rang.

Immediately, his face fell into a frown. He murmured another apology as he fished his phone out of his inside jacket pocket. He face fell even further when he looked at the screen. “It’s work.”

Before he silenced it, Nadine offered, “Answer it. Maybe whatever it is will help you feel better.”

“I doubt that.”

Nevertheless, he stepped from the table and answered the phone as he stalked towards the back. Nadine watched him go, wishing there was a way she could help. The waiter came by with some bread and Nadine took a slice, and by the time she was finished with it, he still wasn’t back.

She tried to quell her annoyance. It wasn’t his fault, and she had been the one to tell him to take the call. Their waiter also came, poured their wine, and left again. Nadine sipped hers as Rafe finally reappeared, looking absolutely frazzled. She watched as he walked back, annoyance now gone from her as she saw worry behind his eyes.

“Nadine, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean for it to go on so long, I—”  
  
She held up a hand. “Rafe, it’s fine. Are you okay?”

In lieu of answering, Rafe blew out a breath and reached for the bread. “Well, I am certainly hungry.”

“Rafe.”

“Nadine?”

“Don’t. Don’t do that. Not with me. What is it that you’re not telling me?”

Rafe froze for a moment. “I’m not not telling you anything. I swear.” He held eye contact, and she stared him down for a moment. Neither flinched. Finally, Nadine leaned back and relaxed slightly, signaling him to do the same. “Now can we please just enjoy the rest of this dinner?”

“Ja.” Nadine watched him, knowing something was still off. He did his best to hide it, but there was something on his mind, something bothering him that he hadn’t shared with her. But she trusted him and didn’t wish to rile him up further, so she stayed silent for the time being.

Their food arrived, delicious as always, and they smiled and laughed as they chatted away. Halfway through, however, Rafe’s phone rang again. He swore under his breath. Nadine offered once more for him to answer it. He looked at her—a helpless look in his eyes, but still got up to answer it. She knew what it was like sometimes with work. Her men knew not to call unless it was an absolute emergency, and she also knew Rafe’s instructions to his employees were the same, so it must be important.

 Nadine was finished with her meal when he returned. His mood was obviously sour and she knew there wasn’t much that she could do to help at the moment. He slid into his chair without a word. He asked for the bill and had the rest of his food wrapped up. As they left, Nadine slipped her hand into his, and he gripped it tightly. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough that Nadine realized he was far more upset than he was outwardly letting on. He opened her car door for her, a gesture she normally would have waved away, but she allowed him to do so tonight. Once on the road, she took his hand again.

“How are you?”

“Not ready to talk yet.”

She sighed but could respect that. They drove back in a mostly comfortable silence, the stereo playing a variety of modern pop music. His thumb kept trailing across her skin, impossible to keep still. Nadine squeezed his hand every so often to remind him that she was there with him. With such a solitary childhood, Rafe had gotten into the habit of closing himself off and letting his emotions consume him. Usually that would end explosively in anger.

But the man that helped her out of the car once they reached home didn’t seem angry. Only…sad. Nadine’s heart sunk.

He led them inside, still saying nothing. After removing her shoes, she followed him upstairs and as she entered his room, she heard a loud _smack_ as his thrown wallet hit the wall next to the dresser it normally occupied. _Okay. So he’s angry too._

She crossed over to him and gently reached for his arm, making certain that she was in his line of sight before she touched him. He didn’t like to be touched without warning when he was upset.

“Hey,” she coaxed, gently turning him towards her. Stiff shoulders and clenched fists and a pair of sad eyes are what she received. Rafe was working on controlling his anger, but sometimes Nadine felt he was going too far the other way. “Tell me what’s going on.”

She rubbed his shoulders before snuggling closer to him, one arm around his back, holding him to her. She placed her other hand on his favorite spot—his abdomen. Early on in their relationship, Nadine had learned Rafe was particularly sensitive there, and a constant, soothing motion on it really helped when he was upset.

He immediately relaxed at her touch and leaned into her. The side of his head dropped down to the top of hers. He closed his eyes.

Nadine squeezed him around the waist, happy with the fact that she was capable of making him feel so safe. She’d tease him later about how cute he is when he rests his head on hers. She continued her ministrations on his stomach, alternating between smaller circles around his navel and wider ones that traveled from the bottom of his ribcage to the hem of his pants.

He froze suddenly and lifted his head. Nadine stopped as well, prepared to give him space if he asked. She lifted her gaze and watched as he simply stared forward. _What’s he thinking?_

She didn’t have to wait long.

In a flash, his hands were on her waist and he shoved her back into the wall. Her brain caught up with his motives and she tilted her head up as his lips came crashing down onto hers. Smirking into the kiss, she realized she accidentally turned him on. Whoopsies.

Everywhere his hands touched—and they were moving quite a bit—everywhere they touched burned with a fire. Nadine grabbed the lapels of his jacket, drawing him closer to her body, needing to feel every inch of it. His hand reached down and grabbed her ass, maneuvering her as he slid his leg between hers. She let out a moan, his thigh rubbing exactly where she wanted it. Rafe’s mouth slid from her lips and trailed a course down her neck. One of her hands reached up and curled into his hair. He liked that. She gasped, tugging on it when he bit that spot on her skin that drove her crazy. Rafe continued to work her neck with kisses and small bites while Nadine tried to control her breathing and not so subtly ground herself down onto his thigh.

Soon she realized she missed his lips and easily yanked him back to her mouth. With deft fingers, she made quick work of the buttons on his dinner jacket and slid the clothing off of his shoulders. She flung it aside.

Deciding she wanted to take charge, Nadine pushed them off of the wall and broke contact. Locking eyes with him, she walked him backwards with a single finger. He obeyed, his eyes dark from dilated pupils. His hair was messy, his chest panting. Somewhere in the mix his bowtie had come undone. He looked fucking hot and Nadine wasn’t sure how she wanted him. She backed him up to the bed.

“Shirt off,” she commanded.

Rafe wasted no time in reaching up, tossing away his bowtie, and undoing the top few buttons. But as he progressed further down, his motions slowed, purposefully dragging the reveal out. Nadine tried to ignore the pulsing of her own body, particularly her southern regions each time a new piece of bare skin appeared. Rafe finally finished unbuttoning the shirt and arched an eyebrow at her. Nadine nodded her head for him to finish the job. He let the shirt fall past his shoulders, revealing the toned muscles of his chest and arms as it fell. Nadine couldn’t help herself as she stepped forward to caress said muscles, her fingers dancing across his now bare skin. She helped finish his little strip tease by yanking the shirt from his wrists and pushing him to sit on the bed.

He was now level with her stomach. His hands came to rest on her hips, while hers once again tangled in his hair. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss against the silk fabric of her dress. Nadine shivered.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

“So are you.”

“May I?” He lightly tugged at the zipper at her back.

She turned and offered her back to him as a reply. Carefully, Rafe unzipped her dress, his hands fluttering across her skin as he touched her with a certain reverence. She slid her arms from the material and together they brought the dress down to her legs where she kicked it off.

So now she stood there in her bra and panties. Not that Nadine minded. She wasn’t shy, and it wasn’t anything Rafe hadn’t seen before. Before she can turn back, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down to his lap. He pressed her to his chest and began peppering her shoulders with kisses, leading to the back of her neck. Every few kisses he would leave a bite that would make her hiss with pleasure. Nadine grabbed his thighs and rubbed down onto him. She smiled when he groaned from the friction.

While his lips were busy and one hand held her in place by the stomach, his right hand traveled lower, tracing patterns on her skin until he was at the fabric of her underwear. His hand then danced around it, pressing touches along her inner thighs and lower abdomen. Nadine let out a low moan, knowing where he was going but impatient for him to actually get there.

“C’mon, Rafe…”

He breathed into her ear. “Patience…”

He did, however, circle in closer, pressing small touches across the top of her underwear. Nadine allowed it for about ten seconds before reaching underneath her and squeezing him through his pants.

“Ah!”

“Get on with it.”

“As you wish.” He pressed a kiss to her earlobe, and then nipped it gently. “But I’ll remember this.”

Before Nadine could respond, Rafe’s hand found its way under the fabric and Nadine let out a gasp. _Fuck. That feels good…_

Rafe always was good with his fingers.

Nadine sighed. Pleasure rolled over her in waves as Rafe worked her down below. His other hand drifted upwards, scratching at her ribcage. It reached higher, gently squeezing one of her breasts before going underneath her bra to tease her nipple. His lips and teeth were at her neck. Nadine’s breath quickened as his hand moved faster, dipping inside of her. Her legs shook and she reached behind her, grabbing his hair and pressing his face closer. Her other hand gripped his thigh tightly as the intensity peaked and she came with a moan.

He moved his hand in slower, softer circles as she came down from her high. As Nadine recovered, she could feel how hard he was underneath her and decided it was his turn. She grabbed his right hand and placed a kiss on the back of it before sliding off of his lap. She locked eyes with him, hand palming him through his pants.

“Your turn.”

His breath hitched. “No objections here.”

Unable to help herself, she leaned in and kissed him. Rafe gladly opened his mouth for her and for a moment, they simply lost themselves in the kiss. Nadine felt Rafe reach up, and in one swift movement, he unclasped her bra. They took it off and tossed it away together. Their lips rejoined and his hands roamed her chest. Nadine wasn’t sure which one of them moaned into the kiss, but what she was certain of was that she liked it.

Her hands moved up to his chest and pushed him down to the bed, effectively breaking the kiss. With sure fingers and a bit of his help, they removed his pants and underwear. She climbed up onto the bed and straddled him, her legs pressing on his thighs, effectively holding him down. She took him in one hand while tracing his muscles with the other. A small noise uttered from Rafe’s lips. Nadine smiled. As attractive as his cockiness was at times, nothing got her like him coming undone because of her.

She kept him pressed against the bed sheets. She continued stroking him as her nails on her other hand scratched along his skin. Occasionally, she’d search for a spot where she knew Rafe was sensitive, but mostly she just looked at him. This position was perfect to watch his pretty little face lose its composure. She knew he loved when she was above him like this, as he had a perfect view of her chest. His hands gripped her by the back of her knees and his eyes roamed her body and face, drinking in the view. Nadine did the same, watching as his breathing grew heavy and his face began to scrunch.

Growing tired of using her hand, she slowed it—before stopping altogether and letting go. She silenced his whining with a kiss before whispering _“Patience”_ in his ear. He glared at her, which only made her chuckle. She tilted her head and pressed a wet kiss to the side of his neck. She placed a few more for good measure, loving the way his breath hitched each time she did it. A quiet “ _ah!”_ from Rafe as she bit his Adam’s apple before she slid down his body, dragging her hands as she did so.

She brought her mouth down to him, but only after a few moments did she feel his hand on her neck, dragging her face away. She met his gaze, confusion etched in her features.

“Nadine, if you do that, I’ll be done in no time.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” she teased, easily remembering his whining.

“I changed my mind.”

Already having sat up, he reached behind her and smoothly flipped them over. Nadine’s breath came in an excited gasp. Their mouths joined again for a moment before Rafe was back to working on her neck, biting slightly harder than before. _Oh_ , it felt _good._ Nadine let the moans fall from her mouth easily, her nails scratching at his back. She was sure the marks would still be there in the morning. After one particularly hard bite, she slid her nails down for an equally hard scratch and they both cried out in mixtures of pain and pleasure. Nadine’s hips jerked up involuntarily. Rafe laughed softly. He gave her two more kisses on her lips before traveling south on her.

Nadine’s breath sped up at the mere thought of what she knew he was going to do. She could feel his lips pressing feather-light kisses across her skin as he moved down. His hands roamed and began caressing her legs. He slowly lifted one up and planted kisses along her ankle and the top of her foot. She giggled. He kept doing it, laughing with her until she gently kicked him away from her ticklish feet. Rafe looked back over to her with such warmth and a smile. Nadine returned it—before bringing her other leg up and using it to push his head down.

He laughed again. “You are being profoundly impatient right now.”

She shook her head. “You’re just slow.”

“I’m making it good.”

“Also slow.”

"Whatever you say, dear.”

Nadine snorted at the pet name and watched as he kissed along her thigh. She tensed as he grazed his teeth across her skin and let out a small _“ah!”_ when he sunk his teeth into its flesh. He bit and sucked his way across her inner thighs, marking her as his own. Switching over, he gave the same amount of attention to her other thigh. She trembled at the agonizingly wonderful sensations, trying to keep it together, but at one point it became too much and her legs closed together, trapping his head between them.

She heard him chuckle softly, and could feel his lips pressing a kiss to her skin as his hands wandered up her legs and held her thighs down. His breath tickled her in the most sensitive way as he neared the spot she wanted him most. She inhaled sharply as she felt his lips and tongue begin to move. One hand instantly latched onto his hair while the other fisted the sheets. She moaned. Her hips tried to buck up, but Rafe held them down with his strong hands. The restraint was good—one might think Nadine Ross would need to be in control of every situation, but there was something about the inability to move during sex that left her extremely hot and bothered.

If he was good with his fingers, he was incredible with his mouth. Before long, Nadine found herself climaxing with her second orgasm of the evening. But she knew they weren’t done yet.

As she caught her breath, Rafe was already upon her neck, placing kisses softly across her collarbone.

“How do you want it?”

Nadine considered it for a moment. She decided on one they both favored. “Get behind me.”

Rafe kissed her soundly. “Yes, ma'am.”

Nadine rolled to her stomach and rose to her knees while Rafe positioned himself between her legs. Ever the gentleman, he placed a few kisses on her back while he slid inside her. Nadine’s mouth fell open in a silent _oh_ as she felt him. He gripped her hips _hard,_ and she nearly buckled. She never minded him getting rough—loved it even, and it seemed this time wouldn’t be any different. Once he was sure she was okay, he set a quick pace, knowing he wouldn’t last much longer.

Their heavy pants and wanton sounds filled the room. Still sensitive from earlier, Nadine came first, and her shudders helped finish Rafe in his next few thrusts. He pulled out and they collapsed together, sweaty but completely satisfied.

Out of habit, they both pulled the sheet over themselves and laid together. The outside world may never guess, but both Nadine Ross and Rafe Adler were huge cuddlers. His arm behind her head, Nadine curled her back into him. He spooned her from behind, his other arm reaching around and holding her waist. They both lay in lazy silence together, watching the snow fall outside, as they hadn’t closed the drapes over the large window in the room yet.

Rafe glanced at the bedside clock. “Merry Christmas.”

Nadine turned back to him and kissed him. “Merry Christmas.” She sighed. “I think I’m going to go brush my teeth.”

“Mmm’kay.”

Nadine slid from the bed and entered the bathroom. She quickly brushed her teeth, but before leaving she grabbed a nightgown from one of her dresser drawers in the adjacent walk-in closet. Slipping it over her head, she returned to the room.

Rafe was no longer in bed. He was standing in front of the nearly wall-length window, watching the snow. He had pulled on a pair of pajama pants, though his chest was still bare. His silhouette looked beautiful in the moonlight. Curious, Nadine came up beside him and slipped her arms around his waist. She kissed his shoulder.

“Don’t want to sleep?”

“I can’t. Not yet.”`

“Why?” She pressed into the warmth of his torso.

He took a breath. “The business calls during dinner.”

Nadine let go of him and slid around to his front. “Look, Rafe, it really is fine—”

“They weren’t the reason I was acting…off. Contributed to it, sure. But not the reason.”

Nadine gave him a curious look, unsure where he was going.

He took another moment simply looking into her eyes, as if he was steeling himself for something. “We haven’t gotten to spend a lot of time together lately, and I wanted our little vacation to be perfect. The dinner was going to be a culmination of that, but with all the interruptions, the moment felt spoiled.”

“What are you talking about?”

“This.”

Rafe pulled a small jewelry box from his pajama pants pocket.

She gasped. Anyone would recognize that shape.

Eyes wide and frozen to the spot, she felt Rafe take her hand as he got down on one knee.

“Nadine Ross. You are impossibly the most incredible woman I’ll ever meet. I’m not sure any other _person_ could come close to your standard. I’m still trying to figure out how I got so lucky. I didn’t think I ever wanted anybody to be by my side, and now, I can’t imagine having anyone else.” He opened the box and offered it up to her. “May I have the honor of marrying you?”

Nadine’s breath caught in her throat. Words fled her mind and water pooled in the rim of her eyes. She nodded enthusiastically, a large grin breaking out across her face, as she held out her hand and Rafe slipped on the ring.

She immediately held out her arms and he rose up into them. Using his momentum, he picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, crossing them behind his back. He was laughing, and so was she. Rafe spun them around.

She hugged tightly to him, overjoyed. Nadine hadn’t been one to think of marriage growing up either—always having her life’s course set for her. And now…well, now she couldn’t think of anything she wanted more than this. To be here in this moment. With him. She pulled back from their hug and pressed her lips to his. Everything was Rafe—his scent, his touch, his taste, his laugh, his eyes… She loved him, and now she finally had a new word for him. Fiancé.

Still laughing, he deposited her back on the bed. He leaned over her and she brought his lips back to hers, happy to simply make out for a while. Languid kisses—for they had all the time in the world now.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Somehow, amongst the flutter of kisses and sweet touches, they made their way back to the head of the bed and under the covers. Nadine stroked his stubble, admiring the view as the new, most likely very expensive piece of jewelry now adorned her left hand. It was beautiful, though. Elegant, yet simple in its design. Nothing to catch on, nothing to hinder her. She figured he must have spent a long time looking for a ring that he deemed perfect.

And it was.

And so were they.


End file.
